MGM Resorts International Acting CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle recently updated employees and future guests about the company's latest coronavirus (COVID-19) relief efforts and hinted at operational changes to come once properties eventually reopen.
In a five-minute video recorded at his home on Tuesday, Hornbuckle said the COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact on the hospitality industry that will force MGM and other brands to adjust how they operate.
"Our industry will likely change for the foreseeable future so the decisions we're making today are about ensuring that we have the resources to not just reopen but to operate successfully for the long-term until we recover," he said. "We'll also be operating differently. What it means to provide good customer service will change. Everything from how often we clean to how we greet our guests could and will change. Our casino floors will look different and our restaurants will ultimately be impacted as well."
"This is a completely uncharted path but we have to consider every aspect of our business so that we can welcome our guests safely and keep each other safe while we do it," added Hornbuckle, who also issued an update on MGM's meal donations and Employee Emergency Grant Fund.
"The fund today totals over $12.5 million and we have received over 3,000 applications for assistance, which we are working as quickly as we can to help those who qualify and are in need. Payments from the fund began two weeks ago and hundreds of bills for employees and their families have been paid and more on the way," said Hornbuckle.
"This month alone, we have paid out on behalf of our employees what we normally do in an entire year. Our goal is to help as many of our colleagues as we possibly can through this crisis."
Hornbuckle also highlighted the individual efforts of some employees who are volunteering their time to assist their local communities through the pandemic and encouraged everyone to stay home and "follow the public health guidelines, even when they are challenging."
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